Erdőfürdő Központ

The Hungarian Forest Therapy Association was established in 2022 as the legal successor to the Gosztola Development Association, initiated by enthusiastic professionals and civilians dedicated to nature, forests, psychology, and gentle tourism. The goal of the Association’s foundation is not only to ensure the sustainable development of the village of Gosztola but also to create an open platform that brings together professionals and enthusiasts in forest bathing, forest therapy, psychology, and tourism. This platform allows them to share experiences, exchange ideas, and explore ways to strengthen the connection between humans and nature.

The founders and initiators ultimately aimed to launch a shared way of thinking that could demonstrate to people today how nature can heal humans and, conversely, how humans, through their connection to nature, can heal the environment.

The Association's Statutes define its goals and tasks as follows:

Article 2: Goals and Tasks of the Association

/1/ The Association's goals:

- To develop the community, environmental, social culture, and tourism of Gosztola, ensuring modern conditions for communication, information flow, and acquisition while enhancing the visual appeal of the village.
- To contribute to and promote tourism development in the Lenti and Letenye micro-regions by fostering cooperation among local governments, businesses, and the civil sector.
- To popularize forest bathing and the related scientific and health-preserving knowledge.
- To establish a center that gathers and fosters collective thinking among professionals who specialize in the preservation of mental, physical, and spiritual well-being, similar to spa and wellness therapies, but utilizing the healing powers of forests instead of water. This includes forest bathing leaders, psychologists, psychiatrists, coaches, medical practitioners with a background in naturopathy, and experts in physiology, nutrition, and related fields.

/2/ The Association's tasks:

To achieve its goals, the Association undertakes the following tasks:

- Improving the living conditions of children and youth, supporting individual and community leisure activities and extracurricular education, organizing cultural and sports programs.
- Preserving Gosztola’s cultural heritage, enhancing cultural activities, and supporting local mass communication and artistic activities to promote tradition preservation and the culture of minorities and ethnic groups.
- Promoting a healthy lifestyle through programs and lectures aimed at disease prevention and health preservation. Engaging in health development activities in community spaces.
- Organizing forest bathing events and other programs that support the balance between body, soul, and spirit, such as forest bathing festivals.
- Encouraging the national collaboration of organizations and individuals involved in forest bathing.
- Creating and continuously developing a credible professional program that makes methods like Shinrin-Yoku, meditation, mindfulness, hypnotherapy, and natural remedies accessible and usable for everyone.
- Establishing a training center where interested professionals can learn and master forest bathing guidance and related skills, incorporating nature as a tool and location for healing, disease prevention, and health preservation.
- Providing consultation for those interested in the disciplines covered by the Association.
- Operating a professional platform and publishing regular professional publications.
- Establishing and maintaining relationships with Hungarian and international forest therapy organizations.
- Organizing an annual international professional conference.
- Protecting and developing the built and natural environment.
- Organizing environmental and nature conservation programs, such as waste collection campaigns and initiatives for controlling invasive plants like ragweed.
- Participating in local and regional urban development projects.
- Supporting the elderly and disadvantaged, aiding those in need, and assisting humanitarian organizations.
- Promoting equal opportunities for disadvantaged groups.
- Organizing leisure sports activities and acquiring equipment for physical, mental, and technical leisure sports, as well as activities tied to nature, such as hiking and hobby activities for youth and retirees.
- Submitting and managing applications for funding related to the Association’s objectives, organizing courses and events, and acquiring and maintaining equipment to enable cultural leisure activities, including renovating cultural centers.
- Contributing to the development of public spaces.
- Writing and submitting grant applications for municipal public service developments and managing successful projects.
- Supporting regional businesses, developing tourism and the hospitality sector, promoting public employment, and organizing community volunteering efforts.
- Writing and managing economic development grant applications, including marketing and town promotion.
- Facilitating Gosztola’s and its surrounding region’s international economic, cultural, and friendship exchanges, supporting cross-border cooperation development.